Samsung Electronics today announced the launch of the 8-inch
tablet, the GALAXY Note 8.0; a competitor to Apple's ipad mini that
sports a pen for writing on the screen.

The Galaxy note 8.0 will have an 8-inch screen, putting it close in
size to the Apple's iPad mini tablet , which features a 7.85-inch
screen .

The device boasts an 8-inch 1,280 x 800 TFT display with a pixel
density of 189ppi and a 210.8mm x 135.9mm x 7.95mm (8.3 x 5.4 x
0.31 inches) footprint. It is powered by Samsung's Exynos 4 Quad
processor clocked at 1.6GHz and paired with 2GB RAM, radios for
WiFi a/b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.0, A-GPS, GLONASS and HSPA+ 21
(850/900/1900/2100MHz), up to 32GB of internal storage (microSD
expansion available), in addition to a 4,600mAh battery. The Note
8.0 will ship with version 4.1.2 of Jelly Bean onboard.

At the core of the GALAXY Note 8.0's solutions are functions
including multi-window options to split the portable 8-inch screen
and allow easy access to a number of live applications; a new
generation of Samsung's intelligent S Pen with advanced usability;
access to a suite of S Note templates and tools that allow you to
create, edit, manage and share everyday documents; the Samsung
"reading mode" technology to enjoy e books with optimized
resolution, video and voice calls. In addition, a suite of new
content and services are pre-loaded for users including the
Flipboard, and Awesome Note.

Practical S Note templates and S Planner feature help to manage
everyday tasks, including meeting notes, to-do lists and even
personal diary entries. All content can be entered and updated with
detail thanks to the intelligent Samsung S Pen. Enhanced precision
is offered with Handwriting-to-Text conversion and Productivity
Tools that support formula and shape recognition are now available
at the touch of your S Pen.

GALAXY Note 8.0 is packed with pre-loaded content and apps.
Upgraded Chat-On provides instant messaging and group chatting in
multiple formats - images, video, voice, contacts. Awesome Note, an
integrated application that is introduced in android tablet for the
first time with NOTE 8.0, is capable of unlimited note-taking uses
including Memo, Diary and Must-remember lists. With Flipboard, your
news, social network and other feeds come together in one flippable
format. Flipboard developed a customized version of its application
exclusively for Samsung that allows users to take the S Pen's hover
feature and preview article headers beneath Flipboard's main screen
tiles. Finally, Smart Remote, gives you a universal remote control
and electronic programming guide allowing you to manage TV and
video watching.

Embedded within the tablet, the S Pen is an extension of the GALAXY
Note 8.0. Removing the S Pen from the device will automatically
launch features such as Pen Detection that will suggest adapted
menus that it thinks you'll need and Page Buddy, a feature that
will activate your most recently adapted S Note home screen.

S Pen technology is now so advanced that it doesn't even have to
touch the screen. With Air View, the S Pen needs only to hover over
the screen to see previews of videos, emails, photos and
appointments on SPlanner without opening the file or application in
full. S Pen Gesture allows images and content to be edited and
cropped, whilst Paper Artist and Photo Note allow photos to be
artistically personalized.

In addition, for the very first time in GALAXY NOTE category, you
can use S Pen to control the physical menu/back buttons on the
device with WACOM technology.

With the Dual View feature, two multi window options allow you to
facilitate multi-screen usage. Dual View's split screen
accommodates optimal operation of different apps, such as launching
the S Note on the web browser screen and allowing content to be
resized, dragged and dropped as required.

Multi-tasking is extended to phone calls. Pop Up Note allows you to
access S Note at any time to keep track of key actions and Pop Up
Video ensures you can keep surfing the web whilst chatting -
content windows can be resized by pinching to enlarge or reduce.

Reading Mode transforms the GALAXY Note 8.0 into an e-Book reader.
You can even turn it into a universal remote control with Smart
Remote, to manage TVs, set-up boxes, DVD & Blu-ray players.

The Korean company will start selling the new tablet sometime
between April and June, at an as yet undetermined price.